Dead battery over night

godfather1960 · Post by **godfather1960** » 08 Apr 2013, 15:51

Hey all , first let me introduce myself ..my name is Brett and i had just bought a nice running 4cyl volvo 244 automatic for 300.00 bucks with 125,970 miles.

1984 244 gl found out if I leave the battery hooked up it will be dead the next morning.. so I charged it back up and left it disconnected for 3 days and she fired right up so I did a test it with a meter and shows a 12v draw using the neg post on the battery and neg cable .. I see no light inside the car left on ... Any ideas I did the pull one fuse at a time thing and still a draw ..Thanks in advance

Brett

Post by **billofdurham** » 09 Apr 2013, 12:11

Welcome to Matthew's Volvo Site.

Did you pull the 25 amp fuse in the engine compartment? It is on the left wheel housing by the ignition coil and covers the engine control system.

If that still does not show where the draw is then it is possible that the charging system is suspect. Disconnect/reconnect the connections on the alternator, one at a time, and monitor for drain.

Bill.

godfather1960 · Post by **godfather1960** » 09 Apr 2013, 13:18

Great and thanks Bill i will check that out this weekend.. and get back to you

Brett

godfather1960 · Post by **godfather1960** » 10 Apr 2013, 06:15

billofdurham wrote:Welcome to Matthew's Volvo Site.

Did you pull the 25 amp fuse in the engine compartment? It is on the left wheel housing by the ignition coil and covers the engine control system.

If that still does not show where the draw is then it is possible that the charging system is suspect. Disconnect/reconnect the connections on the alternator, one at a time, and monitor for drain.

Bill.

shows i don't have one but i did disconnect the alternator and still a draw i took off the skinny one first and checked and still a draw and then took off the bigger one off and still a draw are these both positive wires ?

Post by **98T5** » 10 Apr 2013, 12:01

Open cicuit somewhere pulling down the battery. If you're leaving it connected the only thing I can think of that could pull it down is some auxillary item like a radio, ignition switch not fully turning off when you take the key out, or just a bad battery altogether.

I say, buy a new battery and try again. sometimes weak batteries just die on their own from sitting.

Also, check your starter connections to make sure they are not touching anything or grounding out.

godfather1960 · Post by **godfather1960** » 10 Apr 2013, 12:27

98T5 wrote:Open cicuit somewhere pulling down the battery. If you're leaving it connected the only thing I can think of that could pull it down is some auxillary item like a radio, ignition switch not fully turning off when you take the key out, or just a bad battery altogether.

I say, buy a new battery and try again. sometimes weak batteries just die on their own from sitting.

Also, check your starter connections to make sure they are not touching anything or grounding out.

Thanks,
thats all good but does not explain why i show a draw using the neg batt treminal and neg batt post

Post by **mikealder** » 10 Apr 2013, 12:33

You will get 12V indicated on the meter if you connect it between the battery neg terminal and the cars neg wire as the meter is completing the circuit, what you need to be looking for is current drawn by setting the meter to AMPS with the test leads connected to the correct ports on the meter then go between the neg terminal of the battery and the neg cable of the car (obviously with the battery neg lead disconnected) - Mike

godfather1960 · Post by **godfather1960** » 10 Apr 2013, 12:41

mikealder wrote:You will get 12V indicated on the meter if you connect it between the battery neg terminal and the cars neg wire as the meter is completing the circuit, what you need to be looking for is current drawn by setting the meter to AMPS with the test leads connected to the correct ports on the meter then go between the neg terminal of the battery and the neg cable of the car (obviously with the battery neg lead disconnected) - Mike

Thanks Mike.

i used the meter and got a 0.82 amp draw then checked it with a test light and lights up dim like a 6 volt battery would do to it.. the neg is disconnected

Post by **regent** » 10 Apr 2013, 12:45

That's right. Your Voltmeter is working as intended

e. g. reading 12 Volts.

After you read the current draw (in Amps), continue by pulling fuses until the draw becomes acceptable (like something less than 30 mA) to narrow it down to a suspect group.

If the initial draw is 10 Amps or more, however, start narrowing down by disconnect the generator first to eliminate a faulty rectifier.

godfather1960 · Post by **godfather1960** » 10 Apr 2013, 12:52

regent wrote:That's right. Your Voltmeter is working as intended e. g. reading 12 Volts.

After you read the current draw (in Amps), continue by pulling fuses until the draw becomes acceptable (like something less than 30 mA) to narrow it down to a suspect group.

If the initial draw is 10 Amps or more, however, start narrowing down by disconnect the generator first to eliminate a faulty rectifier.

Thanks,
i pulled every fuse one at a time and i did disconnect the alternator and still a draw i took off the skinny one first and checked and still a draw and then took off the bigger one off and still a draw